


He wished Ron would look away...didn't he?

by angelwithasaxophone



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-28 01:53:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16231793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelwithasaxophone/pseuds/angelwithasaxophone
Summary: A story set during Goblet of Fire, after the Third Task while Harry is in the hospital wing. Instead of Mrs Weasley being the one to comfort Harry, it's Ron.





	He wished Ron would look away...didn't he?

Harry felt the hazy drowsiness of the potion ebbing away from him, but he kept his eyes shut tight. He didn’t know what would be worse: if Mrs Weasley, Ron and Hermione were still there with pity and concern in their faces, or if he awoke to be all alone. 

He should have been alone, hours earlier, when he first grabbed hold of the Triwizard Cup. He should have been alone when the disguised Portkey had transported him to the grave of the long dead Tom Riddle. He should have been alone, so that his return to the Hogwarts grounds did not leave him the lone survivor of the two Triwizard champions. But Cedric was dead, and it felt like all his fault. 

The haunting image flashed into his mind. Cedric, sprawled on the ground, eyes open but frozen, emotionless. The thought constricted his chest, and Harry felt a tightening in his throat and a prickle behind his still-closed eyes. 

“You awake mate?” came a low voice from his right, an uncharacteristic softness to Ron’s tone. Slightly startled, Harry’s eyes snapped open and he swallowed hurriedly, glancing quickly at the ceiling to conceal the tears glistening at the corners of his eyes. Giving a weak grimace, he replied with a croaky “Yeah”. Ron was looking at him intensely, and the fierceness in his expression made Harry squirm, it felt like the look held too much feeling, more than what Harry deserved.   
It was only Ron by his bedside now, and the hospital wing was otherwise deserted. Catching Harry’s wandering gaze, “Mum and Hermione are with Dumbledore,” Ron clarified, “But I didn’t want to leave you here alone”. A slight blush tinged his face at these words, subtle apart from his glowing red ears.  
Harry felt a rush of gratitude towards his best friend, despite the sudden warmth in his own cheeks thinking about how he must have looked. At least the potion, true to Madam Pomfrey’s word, had allowed him calm, dreamless sleep. 

But the sense of calm had left him, now that his consciousness could be focused on the painful recollections. A pounding feeling entered his head as the traumatic scenes played through his mind, as though on replay. Harry propped himself upright in the bed, turned towards Ron, wanting to let out all of his frantic thoughts. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he got a chance to control himself, a wave of panic overwhelmed him, and an anguished sob left his lips. 

Although Harry had observed Ron flounder when consoling Hagrid or Ginny, he somehow seemed to know exactly what to do. Warmth emitted from against Ron’s body as he held Harry to him in a tight embrace. Harry’s head was cradled against one shoulder, with one hand running softly through his hair, and the other held firm against his back. “I’ve got you,” Ron murmured into his ear, and he did. The Dursleys had never held him like this, nor had any friend or the few parental figures he had known. Harry clung desperately to Ron’s shirt, unable to contain his hysterical sobs. Ron held him tightly, still muttering reassurances in Harry’s ear, reminding him that everything was going to be okay, that he wasn’t letting go, to just keep breathing. After several minutes, Harry’s cries faded, and he leaned silently against Ron, tears still streaming onto Ron’s shoulder. 

Harry was shaking slightly in his arms, but Ron didn’t let go. He too was thinking of the moment Harry had returned from the graveyard, with Cedric’s lifeless body. He remembered the ice-cold panic that swept through him as shouts of “HE’S DEAD!” rang through the Quidditch stands, followed by the guilty relief when it was Cedric, rather than Harry, who had not made it past the Third Task. 

A whimper from slightly below him drew Ron’s focus back to Harry, who was looking up at him with an expression Ron couldn’t quite place. “Thank you, Ron,” said Harry, now looking slightly embarrassed at his actions. He pulled away slightly, refusing to make eye contact.

Sensing his sudden shame and discomfort, Ron, now openly blushing, ran his hand down Harry’s arm and wrapped his hands around his wrist. “Anytime Harry, you don’t deserve to feel like that,” he said, more powerfully then he had intended. Harry looked up, making steady eye contact, though there was still a hint of tears in his eyes. 

“I’m just so scared, and angry, and it feels like everything is my fault,” he whispered, his voice catching as he uttered the confession. Ron opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the bustling of Madam Pomfrey, who ushered him hastily from the hospital wing, telling him he could return that night to escort Harry back to his dormitory. His departure made Harry feel anxious, he wanted nothing more than for Ron to be there with him, making him feel safe in a way that he had never experienced before. 

His stress was not depleted throughout the day, as he met with Cedric’s parents, surrounded and overwhelmed by the grief of the loss. By that evening, despite Harry’s evidently emotionally compromised state, Madam Pomfrey released him to return to the dormitories after Ron had appeared at the doors of the hospital wing moments after the conclusion of dinner in the Great Hall. 

Upon the sight of him, a sense of relief washed over Harry, Ron looked equally comforted to see Harry’s reaction to him. As they trudged up to Gryffindor Tower, appreciating each other’s company, Ron’s hand found Harry’s back, pulling him closer and leading him forwards. As they entered through the portrait hole, heads turned, but Ron, standing between Harry and the curious onlookers, directed him hurriedly up the stairs and into the fourth-year boys’ dormitory. The others were still down in the common room, playing a game of Exploding Snap. Ron sat down on the edge of his bed and then turned back, to see that Harry hadn’t moved from the doorway, and he was trembling slightly. 

Bringing his hands up to frantically rub at his eyes, Harry faced the floor instead of Ron, as he mumbled, “I don’t want to have to see everything again, Madam Pomfrey wouldn’t give me any more potion so I’ll have nightmares again. And it’s just such an awful feeling, I’m always panicking in my dreams about something or other, and I’m always so alone.” 

Ron pulled back the covers of his bed, and manoeuvred into a position that left a space next to him in the bed. “C’mere Harry,” he said, thumping the sheets next to him. Surprised but gratified by this offer, Harry stumbled over to Ron’s bed, slowly curling up next to him. “You’re not alone, Harry,” said Ron, wrapping an arm around Harry’s shoulders and pulling him close. Suddenly feeling much better, with his head pressed against Ron’s chest, Harry reached for Ron’s other hand, interlocking their fingers gently. 

A flicker of doubt appeared in Harry’s mind, perhaps he had misread Ron’s feelings entirely. But his qualms were instantly comforted, Ron squeezed his hand and pressed his gentle lips against Harry’s forehead.   
Despite the terror and denial sweeping through the wizarding world, Harry and Ron were able to sleep through the entire night with soft smiles on their faces, and a sense if comfort in their hearts.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic, hoping y'all like it. This could potentially be a platonic pairing, but I have written it under a romantic lens. Feedback or comments of any sort are much appreciated, please feel free to let me know how I did :)


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